 Thousands of trees to honour borough’s Covid losses
We’re set to plant a commemorative woodland honouring those who lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic at Rooks Nest Farm in Finchampstead, with work hopefully starting in September to finish in early 2024.
The 7.7-hectare plot at the site’s south-eastern corner would become an extension of California Country Park to the south. It would be planted with about 6,600 native trees, plus additional wildflower seeding.
A sculpture or other memorial would be installed with two benches and footpaths, and the site would be within easy reach as our traffic-free greenway from Arborfield Green to Finchampstead runs along the southern edge.
The scheme would count towards our goals to help the borough achieve net-zero carbon status by 2030, reach international Tree Cities of the World standards and convert 170 hectares of land to new woodland, hedgerows and orchards.
It will offer a richer habitat for local wildlife, improve air quality by absorbing pollutants and reduce the flood risk by soaking up surface water. Find out more about our countryside sites, including our country parks and nature parks.
 Village defended from development
A proposal for about 200 new homes in Hurst, which many residents opposed, won’t be going ahead after our decision to refuse it was upheld on appeal.
Planning inspector David Wildsmith has concluded that we were right to turn down the outline planning application by Mactaggart and Mickel Homes England Ltd. We welcome this as it shows our planning policies can withstand independent scrutiny.
The applicant wanted to develop a 10.68-hectare plot east of Lodge Road, outside the village boundary, but we argued this would harm its rural character.
The inspector agreed and said we were still on track to provide enough housing to meet the borough’s long-term needs, despite the applicant arguing otherwise, so there was no reason to allow this “significantly sized” development.
We’re thankful to everyone who commented on this application or gave evidence to the public inquiry. This decision supports our belief that our planning policies are still robust and will support our case if we’re challenged on similar grounds in the future.
 Renew or sign up for garden waste collections
Residents in Wokingham Borough can now sign up for our garden waste collection service to have garden clippings, grass cuttings, leaves and weeds collected fortnightly from the kerbside for recycling.
New and existing customers can opt into the garden waste collection service on the council’s website. Those already using the service have also been sent an email or letter asking them to renew for this year’s subscription.
As inflation remains high, the cost of collecting and disposing of garden waste has increased. The price of the 12-month service from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 is £80, up from £70 last year. If residents wish to order the service after 1 April, the cost will be:
- 1 April to 31 June: £80
- 1 July to 30 September: £60
- 1 October to 31 December: £40
For those signing up for the first time, the price includes a 240-litre brown wheeled bin for storing garden waste.
 County lines, spot the signs – free webinar
Are you a parent wanting to find out more about county lines, how to spot signs it may be happening to your child and how to seek help?
National charity Pace will be hosting an interactive webinar on 21 March, 7-8.30pm, where parents and carers can listen to representatives from Pace, Barnados and Thames Valley Police.
They will help you to learn more about county lines and criminal exploitation, including how offenders groom and exploit children. They will also help you to understand what is happening in your local area, as well as the signs that your child might be at risk.
You will also have an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and connect with others. The webinar will be hosted live on Zoom and once you have registered your interest, you will be sent the log in details to join.
What you might have missed
Here are all our updates from the last week:
If you like the look of any of the updates above, you can register for updates on our website.
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